In The Beginning
by Jaynee
Summary: Meet Kat, Patrick, Michael, Mandella and Joey in their freshman year at Padua High!
1. In the Beginning - Part 1

For the Record: These characters are not mine in any way, and this story is an ALTERNATIVE storyline from the movie - some facts have changed and might not necessarily end where the movie picks up. Hope you like it!  
  
  
In The Beginning, Part 1  
  
"I'm a freshman!" Kat cried joyously as she sat at the kitchen table with her parents. It was the first morning of her freshman year at Padua High School, and she couldn't have been happier.  
  
Kat's younger sister, Bianca, still in middle school and not a morning person, growled back, "Ugh...how can you be so chipper this early in the morning?"   
  
"Because today is the first day of an exciting new chapter in my life!"  
  
Walter and Sharon Stratford, their parents, silently watched the exchange between their daughters. It had been a tense week for them. Walter's job as an obstetrical doctor was stressful and the long hours had put a strain on their 15-year marriage. But they tried to conceal the problems from their daughters, instead putting on brave smiles and acting as though nothing was wrong.  
  
Kat was completely aware of the conflict between her parents, and tried her best to act normal for their sakes. Kat also knew that Bianca was completely in the dark and just thought that her parents were normal.  
  
Bianca continued to stare at her sister after her declaration of excitement. "I can't believe you are happy about going to school," she said with distaste.  
  
Kat's blue eyes sparkled as she stood and picked up her backpack. "Well, just because you aren't smart doesn't mean school is bad."  
  
Bianca was about to respond to the insult when her mother put out a hand to stop her. "Girls, let's not fight this morning, okay?"  
  
Kat nodded and kissed her mom on the cheek. "I'm off - I want to get there early so Mandella and I can roam the hallways for a bit."  
  
Mr. Stratford put down his newspaper to receive his kiss from Kat. "Have a good day, Katarina. Be careful of the boys, though. It's never to early to be cautious."  
  
Kat just laughed as she headed to the front hallway. "Thanks for that, Dad. I'll make sure no ruffians take advantage of me."  
  
"She thinks I'm kidding, Sharon," he deadpanned before calling out, "I'm not kidding!" to the door that closed behind his elder daughter.  
  
* * *  
  
"Can you believe we're finally in high school?" Mandella asked Kat as they walked down the street towards the large castle-like building that was to be their school for the next four years.  
  
Kat smiled back at her lifelong best friend, "This is going to be so great, Mandella. Just think - we'll meet more interesting people, take more interesting classes, start dating boys who can drive -- it's going to be amazing!"  
  
Mandella grinned easily. "I just can't wait to study some Shakespeare with students who actually know what he's talking about. Middle school kids just don't know anything."  
  
Kat laughed. "Uh, Mandella, you were in middle school until about three months ago."  
  
Mandella nodded as she responded with, "Ah yes, but now I am in high school, and it's all a different world."  
  
With that they came up to the front door to the school's main entrance. They both came to a stop only briefly before each grabbing a handle and yanking open the doors together.  
  
"Here we go!" Kat said. And with that, they entered Padua High School as freshmen.  
  
Padua High School was located in Tacoma, Washington and its student body was a conglomeration from many areas in the town. Within one freshman class came students from four different middle schools. Because Padua could house over 4,000 students at one time, the school's population was varied and disparate in background and culture.  
  
Kat and Mandella escorted each other to their lockers, finding that they were in the same hallway but about fifty feet apart. During the freshman orientation that had taken place the Saturday before they had received their class schedule, and were happy to find that they shared three classes together, History just before lunch, and then the last two classes of the day - Gym class and English.  
  
"Where do you have to go for your first class," Kat asked as they met up halfway between lockers.  
  
Mandella peered at her class list and replied, "I'm on the fourth floor, South Wing, in Freshman Algebra."  
  
"Well, I'm on second floor, North Wing, in Geography. So I suppose I'll see you third period in our history class."  
  
"You got it!"  
  
With that, Kat and Mandella parted ways, each headed in opposite directions. The school was easy enough to negotiate. The main portion of the building contained the faculty offices, student lounges, restrooms, two cafeterias and the theater and planetarium. The two wings that came off the side of the main building housed the classrooms and student lockers.  
  
As Kat moved up one flight of stairs to the second floor, she wasn't paying attention to where she was stepping and inadvertently rushed into a person that had stopped at the top of the stairs.  
  
"Oh sorry!" she moaned, embarrassed as a cute boy turned around impatiently.  
  
When he saw Kat his frown converted into a bright smile that lit up his face. He had a dark summer tan and chocolate brown eyes that alighted upon her as they were jostled by students moving around them on the stairs.  
  
"Not a problem," he said smoothly, hitching his backpack securely on his shoulder. "Seems we're both in a hurry."  
  
"Yeah, it's my first day and I just don't want to make a bad impression on my teachers."  
  
Kat moved to pass him and leave him on the stairs, but he reached out and said, "I'm Joey Donner. I'm a freshman, too."  
  
Kat felt his hand on her arm and felt the blood rush to her face in an embarrassing flush. "Uh, I'm Kat. Kat Stratford."  
  
Joey pulled on her arm slightly and led her away from the stairway to a spot in the hallway that was less crowded. "What class are you going to, Kat Stratford?" he asked.  
  
"Geography in room 215 with Mr. Stone."   
  
"Hey me too!" he said. "Why don't we find it together?"  
  
"Sure," she answered as he continued to lead her down the hallway. After only a few steps they came to a stop."  
  
Joey turned to Kat and said, "Well, that was easier than I thought. We're here!"  
  
He moved into the classroom and urged Kat to follow him. "Want to sit next to each other, Kat?" he asked.  
  
"That would be nice," Kat said, sitting in one of the middle seats next to Joey. She couldn't believe her luck. First day and she had already met a cute boy who seemed really nice.  
  
Students continued filing into the room. Kat knew a few of them from her own school but none well enough to greet with more than a soft hello. Joey, on the other hand, was pounced on by several boys who obviously knew him well. She heard references to baseball and realized that they were probably all athletes from different middle schools who played against each other before coming together at Padua.  
  
Just as the bell rung, the teacher, a short tired-looking man with a tattered briefcase, walked into the room and took off his jacket. Without waiting a moment he began calling out the roll, and upon putting away the attendance list immediately began a lecture on the qualities of rocks and the earth. Kat quickly took out her notebook and began taking notes.  
  
She felt a pencil stick her in side and looked over at Joey, who was smiling at her. "I'm glad you are sitting next to me, Kat. I'm going to enjoy this class much more with you here." With that he winked at her before turning his attention back to Mr. Stone's lecture.  
  
High school is going to be fun, she thought to herself with a smile.  



	2. In the Beginning - Part 2

After geography class ended Joey asked Kat if he could walk her to her next class. Flattered, Kat said yes and they moved into the hallway as it filled up with fellow students rushing to second period.   
  
Joey offered to carry Kat's backpack, and while she felt a little weird having him do that since they just met, she still let him carry it. She was afraid that if she turned him down he'd think less of her. Despite being new to the school, Joey greeted people as they passed him in the hallway. Most of them were girls, and they giggled and blushed when he said hello to them. Kat was pleased that of all the girls in the freshman class he was walking with her.   
  
Depositing her at her second period class, he asked, "How about lunch today? Which cafeteria will you be in?"   
  
"I have no idea. But I'll be eating with my friend Mandella if you want to join us."   
  
Joey smiled and replied, "I'll see what I can do." With that he left her standing in the doorway to her Spanish class.   
  
When third period came it was History, which was her first class with Mandella. Kat found Mandella standing outside the classroom waiting for her. "How are your classes so far?" Mandella asked as they sat down in chairs next to each other.   
  
"Oh who cares!" Kat exclaimed. "I've met a wonderful boy!"   
  
Mandella raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Are you kidding me? Who?"   
  
"His name is Joey Donner and he's simply divine. Very cute, seems nice, and already seems to be the most popular boy in school even though it's his first day!"   
  
Mandella's eyes widened at the mention of his name. "Joey Donner?" she squeaked. "Someone was talking about him last period. Apparently at East Padua Middle School he was the big man on campus and a shoo-in for varsity baseball during his freshman year!"   
  
Kat sighed dreamily. "Well, he walked me to class early this morning and then asked if I wanted to have lunch with him in the cafeteria."   
  
"Did you say yes?" Mandella asked. "Because we don't have to sit together if you don't want."   
  
Kat sat up straight in her chair and said earnestly, "Mandella, you are my best friend and we're committing right now to remain best friends for the rest of our lives no matter what! And if that means Joey Donner eats lunch with Kat and Mandella, then so be it!"   
  
Mandella looked relieved as the bell rang, signaling the beginning of their history class.   
  
* * *   
  
The line for food but once Kat and Mandella finished paying for their fruit salads and soda they looked around the crowded cafeteria for a table. Padua High School had two cafeterias to cater to all of its 4,000 students. They ate in two shifts - the freshman and sophomores during one hour, and the juniors and seniors in another.   
  
Kat tried to hide the fact that she was actually looking for Joey amongst the hundreds of students currently seated around the vast number of tables. She knew it would be impossible to find him in this crowd.   
  
"Come on, let's go over there." Kat motioned to a table against one wall that was only half full. Just as Kat was about the place her tray on the table, a guy bumped past her and sat down in the very seat she intended to take. His friend sat down in the seat intended for Mandella.   
  
"Hey!" Kat cried out. "That's my seat!"   
  
"Not anymore," the boy grumbled. Kat frowned at him, noting his appearance from unkempt long hair to his scuffed combat boots.   
  
"And who do you think you are," Kat demanded to know. "Get out of that seat."   
  
The boy looked up at Kat with glittering grey-green eyes. "No. I will not get up, and you will have to find another seat. And this way Scurvy and I can finish our lunch."   
  
Kat opened her mouth to respond but no sound came out. She recognized a slight accent in his voice. Australian? And while she found this intriguing, she found the boy repulsive in his rudeness. And his friend Scurvy was not much better - a Sid Vicious wannabe.   
  
"Come on, Kat, let's go. We can find another seat somewhere else." Mandella stepped in between Kat and the boy, hoping to end the stand-off.   
  
"Fine," Kat grumbled. Without another word she stomped away in search of another vacant pair of seats.   
  
The boy watched Kat walk off for a moment, before looking back at Scurvy, who said, "She's gotta be a freshman, Pat. We want seniors."   
  
Patrick Verona laughed. "Scurvy, with looks like yours you're lucky your own mom loves you."   
  
Scurvy broke out into a grin at Patrick's teasing, then picked up his cheeseburger and took a big bite.   
  
Patrick turned again to look for Kat. The name fits her, he thought. And it'll be interesting to really get her dander up. Spying her dropping her tray violently onto a table a few yards away, he could swear he heard her say,   
  
"That pig!" Kat fumed as she stabbed a fork into a piece of watermelon. "How dare he speak to me like that!"   
  
Mandella delicately took a sip of her soda. "Kat, it's all right - we got another seat with no problem."   
  
"Mandella, that's not the point."   
  
Mandella sighed. "I know, I know." Mimicking Kat she recited, "The point is that male oppression is rife at Padua High and it's up to us to let them know it's not appropriate so that when we get to college we are treated with respect and not with frat boy disdain."   
  
Kat paused before responding then said, "Am I that bad?"   
  
"Sometimes. But I love you anyway."   
  
Kat looked over at the boy and his friend. They were laughing as they ate, as though nothing had happened.   
  
Her ire up again, Kat picked up a piece of celery and bit off a piece as she muttered, "Boys suck."   
  
"Yeah," Mandella agreed. "But they are so darn cute, too!"   
  
Kat couldn't help but look over at the boy again. Even though he was rude, and certainly nothing like Joey Donner, she had felt a heat inside her gut when he turned his gleaming eyes on her.   
  
Mentally calling herself a fool for even thinking about him, she said, "Yeah, cute like Joey Donner!"   
  
A little while later the ten-minute warning bell rang to let the students know they needed to head to their next class. The girls gathered up their belongings and their empty trays and made their way towards the line of trashcans near the exit doors.   
  
Without warning, Kat's tray was suddenly lifted out of her hands. She turned and found Joey Donner walking next to her, now holding her tray along with his own.   
  
"At last I've found you, fair Katarina," he murmured in her ear. "I looked all over for you and couldn't find you until now."   
  
Kat found herself blushing again, like the girls in the hall. "I'm glad you found me now," she replied.   
  
Mandella let out a polite cough on her other side, and Kat leapt into action and said, "Joey, this is my friend Mandella. Mandella, this is Joey."   
  
Joey deposited the trays in the dumb waiter and then turned to Mandella and said, "Nice to meet you, Mandella. Any friend of hers is a friend of mine."   
  
Ah, a slicky boy, Mandella thought to herself, surprised that Kat would be so easily attracted to someone who seemed a little false.   
  
"Nice to meet you," she said out loud with a slight smile.   
  
As all three of them walked out the exit doors into the main hallway of the building, the boy who had insulted Kat brushed by, deliberating pushing into Joey.   
  
"Hey watch it!" Joey warned.   
  
The boy looked at Joey scornfully, his gaze not bothering to hide his disdain.   
  
"Sorry, Sparky," he said with a false sincerity. Then looking at Kat he said, "And next time you feel like insulting me by calling me a pig, make sure I'm not within hearing distance."   
  
Scurvy came up next to his friend and said, "Come on, Pat, we gotta get to woodshop."   
  
Patrick continued looking at Kat expectantly, not knowing what he was waiting for, but knowing he didn't want to look away from her just yet.   
  
Kat stared back at him mutely, rolling his name around her head as she felt the knot in her stomach again. Pat. Patrick, most likely. What pretty eyes he has..   
  
Mandella watched Patrick with interest as he regarded Kat. What have we here? she thought. Looks like Joey may have a competitor for the fair Katarina. How delicious.   
  
Kat blinked and suddenly lurched into motion, turning from Patrick without saying a word. She responded to a question Joey asked her as they moved down the hall.   
  
Mandella went to follow them, then turned back to Patrick and introduced herself. "I'm Mandella," she said, sticking out her hand.   
  
Patrick took her hand in his surprisingly strong grip and shook it. "Patrick Verona."   
  
Mandella grinned and said mischievously , "I'll be looking forward to hearing more from you, Patrick Verona. Indeed I will."   
  
With that, she turned and ran down the hall to catch up with Kat and Joey, who it turns out shared the next period with each other.   



	3. In the Beginning - Part 3

In The Beginning, Part Three  
  
Within weeks after that first day of school, Kat was fully involved. She had made a few new friends, mainly people that Joey introduced her to. She continued to hang out with Mandella much of the time after school and on weekends, despite the fact that Joey showered her with a lot of attention and was continually asking her out.   
  
Mr. Stratford, Kat's father, was a little nervous about having boys express interest in his 14-year-old daughter. He didn't really approve of girls that young going out on dates, but told her that if she was with a group of kids he would let her date in a group. But no solo dates. Not until she was a little older.   
  
As for her classes, Kat had been upset that first day when she strode into her final class of the day, English, and found the only empty seat being the one next to Patrick, the boy from the cafeteria. Mandella had gotten to the classroom a few moments early and, unbeknownst to Kat, deliberately left that seat empty and sat on the other side of the room. When Kat found out his full name, Patrick Verona, she was surprised to find that he had such a decidedly romantic name.   
  
In those first few weeks of school, he hadn't really said anything to her of substance since that first day in the hallway after lunch. He would say hello to her in English but invariably ignored her after that. She found it quite disconcerting and wished she didn't have to sit next to him.   
  
One Thursday in October, as Joey and Kat walked into their geography class together that morning, Joey said, "Hey, I'm having a party this weekend. You want to come?"   
  
"That would be great!" Kat gushed. "Can Mandella come to?"   
  
Joey's smile faltered for a moment but quickly he recovered and said, "Yeah, sure, she's invited, too."   
  
Kat smiled happily as they took their seats. Joey is so sweet, she thought to herself. And he likes me of all people!   
  
Later in the day as Kat and Mandella had lunch together (Joey had begged off in favor of sitting with the junior varsity baseball team), Kat told Mandella about the party.   
  
"And Joey said he wants me there?" Mandella asked doubtfully.   
  
"Well, yeah," Kat said. "He said you were invited, too."   
  
Mandella looked at Kat briefly, debating whether she should share her opinion about Joey Donner. Since that first day of school Mandella had not liked Joey at all. He seemed too perfect, too polite. And therefore he came off as being entirely false and egotistical.   
  
"Well," Mandella finally said, "I don't know that I can come. I think I need to spend some time catching up on my Shakespeare this weekend."   
  
Kat laughed. "Mandella, why are you so obsessed with William Shakespeare all of a sudden?"   
  
Mandella closed her eyes and said, "Oh Kat, he's just so magical with the written word. If he were alive today I'd ask him to marry me."   
  
Kat laughed one more time and shook her head as she smiled at her best friend. "Mandella, you are wacky."   
  
About to respond, Mandella heard someone say, "Uh, Mandella, hi."   
  
Mandella looked up and saw Michael Eckman, another freshman, standing next to their table. He was in the same English class as Kat, Mandella and Patrick. Michael had brown hair and no distinguishing features whatsoever. He was the type of boy that blended into the crowd and coasted through without being noticed. The only afterschool activity he was involved with was Future Business Leaders of America, a club which sought to train young students, among other things, to become sharks on Wall Street.   
  
"I couldn't help but overhear that you were going to be studying Shakespeare this weekend." Michael shifted nervously from one foot to the other.   
  
Mandella nodded, waiting for Michael to continue.   
  
"Well, there's a Shakespeare festival going on downtown this weekend at Padua Park and I wondered if...uh...you might want to go with me?"   
  
Mandella's face broke into a grin and she said, "Michael, that would be great. Thanks."   
  
Michael visibly relaxed at her words and said, "Great! Great! Uh...I'll talk to you later about where we can meet."   
  
"Sure," she replied. "I'm looking forward to it."   
  
Michael walked off, proud as a peacock, while Kat stifled a laugh and said, "A Tale of Two Geeks."   
  
Mandella snorted at the good-natured ribbing from her best friend. "Yeah, well, at least it gets me out of going to Joey's party."   
  
"You didn't want to go?" Kat asked.   
  
"Not really my scene, Kat, to be honest with you."   
  
Kat shrugged, disappointed that her friend wouldn't be at the party . "Well, maybe next time you'll feel differently."   
  
"I highly doubt it," Mandella replied sardonically.   
  
During the rest of lunch Kat and Mandella talked about their classes, seeking to smooth over the brief moment of awkwardness about Joey's party.   
  
* * *   
  
Patrick sat down in his seat just as his English began. He didn't really care much for school but was mainly putting up with classes just to get to this one. The one he had with Kat.   
  
Since that first day, when he watched Kat's face contort as she realized the only empty seat was next to him, he had wondered about her. Mandella had been nice enough, although he didn't understand what she meant when she said that she looked forward to hearing more from him.   
  
Now he watched Kat out of the side of his vision as she opened her notebook and began taking copious notes from the lesson being taught by Ms. Decree at the front of the room. The class itself was boring for Patrick, but he showed up every day so that he could surreptitiously watch Kat.   
  
If Scurvy knew, he'd die laughing, Patrick thought to himself. I'm supposed to be the tough guy.   
  
Trying to break his thoughts free from Kat, he thought about his grandparents instead. His own parents were divorced and he lived with his father, an ex-Marine who continually failed to discipline a son that had no respect for him.   
  
Until the age of nine Patrick's father's career in the military had required that he live in Australia. When they moved back to the states, Patrick's mother and father announced they were getting divorced. Patrick was devastated, and wanted to live with his mother, but she had told him it would be better to stay in Washington, finish his schooling and be near his grandparents. With that she had taken off and was God knows where doing God knows what.   
  
His only saving graces were his paternal grandmother and grandfather, a lovely couple that lived on Whidbey Island on the coast. So different from his father, his grandparents loved him for his difficulty, challenging him to better himself in all aspects of life.   
  
He knew his grandfather was sick, had been sick for a few weeks now. Five years ago he'd been diagnosed with cancer but the doctors had been able to get it all with surgery and radiation. But now he was sick again, which broke Patrick's heart.   
  
Not wanting to think about his grandfather, Patrick peeked at Kat again. What she saw in Joey Donner he couldn't understand. Joey Donner already had a reputation for being a jerk and he'd only been at Padua High for five weeks. Patrick had overheard him in the gym locker room one day bragging to the other boys that he was gonna "land" Kat Stratford before the winter holidays. Patrick was surprised that Kat was hanging out with a guy like that.   
  
Patrick thought about telling her what Donner had said, but then realized that she probably didn't care one wit what he thought. She thought he was a pig, when in actuality he had just been in a bad mood that first day in the cafeteria because he had just learned about his grandfather's relapse.   
  
Patrick continued to daydream throughout class until the final bell rang. As all the students rose in a rush to leave the classroom, Patrick hung back a bit, deliberately gathering his materials so that he could leave at the same time as Mandella and Kat.   
  
Mandella noticed Patrick hanging back, moved over to him and said, "Hey Patrick, how are things with you?"   
  
He saw Kat's eyes widened in shock when Mandella spoke to him pleasantly. If she could have been more obvious in her distaste she would have spit on him or something. As it was Kat approached the pair like a girl walking the plank.   
  
Patrick smiled at Mandella and politely said, "I'm quite well, Mandella. And yourself?"   
  
Mandella responded, "I'm doing great. I'm going to the Shakespeare Festival this weekend with Michael."   
  
Shakespeare Festival? Patrick thought to himself. That's one nutty chick, but I like her. Out loud he said, "Sounds like fun - I'll probably just be hanging out with Scurvy this weekend."   
  
Mandella thought for a moment, then said, "What about Joey Donner's party? Why don't you go there instead? I was supposed to go, but since I'm not you can take my place."   
  
Patrick wryly answered, "I doubt Donner wants me at his party. Nor would your friend here."   
  
Mandella said, "Oh please, knowing Donner, he's invited half the freshman class, so what's one more? He probably won't even notice you're there!"   
  
Patrick looked at Kat, who was turning red at the idea of having Patrick interfere with her weekend. And the rosy cheeks weren't rosy with pleasure, but with fear that he'd come to the party.   
  
"Thanks, Mandella," he finally said. "I think I will go after all."   



	4. In The Beginning - Part 4

"How could you do that?" Kat screeched when she and Mandella left school grounds to go home.  
  
"What?" Mandella puzzled innocently.  
  
"You invited that neanderthal to Joey's party!"  
  
"Patrick's a nice guy, Kat. You really should drop the attitude and see that. You're letting his behavior that first day cloud your better judgment on a person's character." And not just with Patrick, she continued to herself.  
  
They walked in silence halfway to Kat's house, Mandella curious to know why Kat was so upset that Patrick had said he would go to the party. Was it that big a deal?  
  
Suddenly a lightbulb went on over Mandella's head and she exclaimed, "You like Patrick!"  
  
Kat stopped cold in her tracks and turned to Mandella, saying hotly, "I do not like Patrick."  
  
Mandella laughed gleefully, "Of course you do! That's why you work so hard to dislike him!"  
  
Without saying another word, Kat stormed off towards her house, leaving Mandella to rock on her heels as she began formulating an idea in her head.  
  
* * *  
  
Kat walked into her bedroom and slammed the door behind her. Throwing her backpack on the floor she flung herself onto her bed facedown.  
  
Patrick Verona. Kat grimaced as she pictured him in her mind. Unkempt, poorly dressed, somewhat rude, not all that smart from what she could tell. And Mandella thinks I like him? she seethed.  
  
Then she pictured Joey Donner. Handsome. Well dressed. So polite and kind. And really smart and popular.  
  
Kat rolled over and stared at her ceiling, continuing to compare the two boys in her mind. Joey was constantly giving her attention, touching her in small ways - her hand, her back, her knee. It was obvious that Joey was attracted to her. They hadn't kissed yet, but Kat felt a certain thrill at the idea of it. Patrick, on the other hand, never looked her in the eye, skulked around the hallways at Padua High, and served only to put Kat on edge.  
  
True, despite his general messy appearance, Kat could admit that he was cute. And while he hadn't spoken to her directly since that first day, she also had to admit that the accent was intriguing and made him seem more mysterious.  
  
But like him? Kat asked herself, No way!  
  
The phone rang, but Kat chose to ignore it and let her younger sister answer it. Bianca, twelve years old, was becoming obsessed with boys and undoubtedly it was her friend Chastity calling to compare notes on various seventh-grade boys.  
  
However, a few moments later there was a knock on Kat's door and Bianca stuck her head in, saying, "It's for you. It's a boy!"  
  
"Thanks," Kat said, reaching out to grab the cordless on her bedstand. "Hello? This is Kat."  
  
"Hey there, pussycat," Joey's voice purred in her ear.  
  
Kat felt her insides turn gooey and warm. "Hey, Joey."  
  
"I'm just calling to make sure that you are going to come to my party. It's gonna be the greatest freshman party of the year. Even some of the seniors are coming over since they know my parents are out of town."  
  
Kat felt a bit guilty when Joey said this. She had gotten permission from her parents to go to the party because they believed there would be adult supervision.  
  
"Yes, Joey, I'm going to be there. With bells on!"  
  
"Great. Well, that's really all I called for - the party wouldn't be the same without you there."  
  
Kat sighed into the phone, her mouth twitching with a smile. "Okay, well, I'll talk to you later then."  
  
* * *  
  
"Are you kidding me, Mandella?"  
  
"Patrick, I'm dead serious. Look, I don't trust Joey Donner as far as I can spit, and I feel I must tell you that when I brush my teeth I usually have stuff dribbling down my chin."  
  
Patrick laughed at the picture as he cradled the phone between his shoulder and his left ear. "Yeah, but I don't think that Kat would appreciate having me be her Watcher at the party."  
  
"You don't have to go up and tell her," Mandella said exasperatedly. "Just keep an eye on her, make sure Donner doesn't try to get her drunk and take advantage of her. For some reason she's got blinders on when it comes to him, and since I'm not going to be at the party, I'm asking you this favor."  
  
"But why me? She hates me."  
  
"Don't let that worry your pretty little head, Patrick. She doesn't hate you as much as you might think."  
  
Patrick perked up a bit at this. "You don't think so?"  
  
"No, I don't. So go have fun at the party, and let me know what happens."  
  
Patrick snorted doubtfully. "Fun at Donner's house? I don't think that's possible. Something tells me I'm not going to blend in very well."  
  
"Take Skully with you and no one will bother you."  
  
"All right, I'll go and babysit your friend. But if she says anything to me that pisses me off, I'm going home."  
  
"Don't go home, Patrick. Fight back. If there's one thing I know about Kat, she loves a good argument. It gets her all riled up and she thrives on that. She'd be great on the debate team."  
  
"Okay, coach. I'll go already. You don't have to convince me anymore - if you keep trying I may decide not to go altogether!"  
  
Mandella smiled as she hung up the phone after their goodbyes and thought to herself, "I'm glad I'm going out with Michael during Donner's party, but I'd love to be a fly on the wall for this one.  



	5. In The Beginning - Part 5

Walter Stratford looked on in concern as his elder daughter prepared to leave for the party. He knew his daughter was responsible, but he wasn't so sure about the other kids at her school.  
  
"And Joey's parents are going to be home the entire time?" he asked for the fiftieth time.  
  
Kat sighed impatiently, wishing he would stop asking so she wouldn't have to lie again. "Daddy, I'm not answering that question again." She took one last look in the mirror hanging near the front door and then kissed her mom on the cheek and said, "I promise I won't be home late."  
  
"I think eleven is reasonable," Walter stated.  
  
Kat laughed, "I don't think so. Mom already said that since Joey lives within walking distance that I can stay until 12:30."  
  
"Sharon!" Walter exclaimed, looking pointedly at his wife.  
  
"She's a mature girl, Walter," Sharon said patiently. "And I trust her to do the right thing." She smiled at her daughter before opening the door, saying, "Call if you need anything and we'll come pick you up."  
  
"Thanks, but I'll be fine."  
  
As the door closed behind his daughter, Walter sighed heavily, "I don't have a good feeling about this."  
  
Sharon smiled tightly. "Walter, you haven't felt good about anything in years, so why should you feel any differently now?" With that she left Walter standing alone in the foyer.  
  
At the top of the stairs, Bianca sat numbly, unable to stand up. She had come to surreptitiously watch her sister leave for her first party - someday it would be her! And when Kat had left, Bianca had been shocked to hear the tone in her mother's voice when she spoke to her dad. Bianca had never witnessed such....coldness.  
  
* * *  
  
Kat was half a block from Joey's house and she could already hear music thumping from the backyard. Her pulse surged with excitement as her steps came more quickly as she was greeted by other students also making their way to Joey's for the party.  
  
Coming up the driveway she waved hello to several of her classmates, grimacing slightly at the sight of beer cans littering the front yard. Kat saw a sign on the front door that said, "Enter in the back". Kat followed the arrow on the sign and saw that on one side of the house the large fence gate was open and a few kids were milling by the entrance. Kat nervously ran a hand through her long blond hair and straightened her jacket before going through the gate and stepping into the backyard.  
  
Kat's jaw dropped open immediately. She had seen movies depicting wild high school parties, and this one was right on par with those scenes. Dozens of kids milled around the deck behind Joey's house. She saw several couples making out on benche, drunkenly oblivious to their surroundings. Kat doublechecked her watch, noting that it was only 8:00 p.m. and the party was already in full swing.  
  
Kat moved through the backyard, looking for Joey. She had noticed that many of the party-goers were, in fact, seniors. But when she walked onto the pool deck she found a bevy of fellow freshmen hanging out. Spotting a girl from the geography class she shared with Joey, she walked over and said, "Hey, Wendy. Have you seen Joey?"  
  
Wendy nodded and pointed to the other side of the pool, saying, "He's right over there, Kat. He's been waiting for you and has behaved himself."  
  
Kat laughed and thanked her before walking over to Joey, who was surrounded by a bunch of his teammates. Joey was in the midst of telling a story but when he saw Kat his eyes lit up and he quickly said, "Hey fellas, make some room for my girl here."  
  
Kat blushed as they parted and allowed her to step up next to Joey, who slipped an arm around her confidently and laid his hand on her hip. He had a large plastic cup in his other hand and gestured to the boys, saying, "Mind if you give us a minute, guys?"  
  
A few grumbles later and Kat found herself alone with Joey - if it was possible to be alone among hundreds of classmates. "How's my pussycat?" Joey purred into Kat's ear, causing her to blush for the second time in two minutes.  
  
"This looks like a wild party," Kat said, "Aren't you worried about the neighbors complaining about the noise?"  
  
Joey laughed. "Nah, my brother used to throw wicked parties all the time so they are used to it by now and don't bother. My dad gives generously to the Policeman's Ball every year, so they tend to leave our family alone."  
  
Joey led Kat towards the house, keeping his arm around her waist. "You don't have a drink yet. What do you want? Beer? Vodka? Wine? We've got just about everything represented here tonight."  
  
As they entered the kitchen through a sliding glass door, Kat replied, "Uh, I'll just have a soda or something."  
  
"A soda?" Joey asked in disbelief as he released her to move to the refrigerator. "You only get a soda if you mix it with some rum."   
  
"No really, just a Coke is fine, Joey."  
  
Joey grabbed a can from the fridge and as he closed the door said, "All right, you can have a Coke for now, but you are DEFINITELY having a real drink before the end of the night."  
  
Kat smiled in relief that Joey didn't press the point and was thrilled once again when Joey handed her the soda can and put his hand back on her waist.  
  
Just then the same teammates from by the pool came in and grabbed Joey, telling him they had to show him something by the pool. He looked back helplessly at Kat as they all but carried him and said, "I'll be back - I promise!"  
  
Kat waved and called back, "I'll be fine!" just as he was pulled through the sliding glass door and was gone from sight. She stood a few moments in the kitchen, wondering where to go next. Deciding to take a tour of Joey's large house, she left the kitchen and moved to the stairway, which was packed with kids overlooking the large foyer which was being used primarily as a dance floor.  
  
Many students greeted her, undoubtedly recognizing her because she spent so much time with Joey. But she didn't know many of the students and only smiled back in response as she made her way to the top of the stairs. She saw a long hallway and noted that many couples were peeking into rooms hoping for some privacy. Taking a sip from her soda she stood at the banister at the top of the stairs just watching people for a few minutes.  
  
Suddenly she realized she was really bored. And it was only 8:30. She sighed and looked around helplessly for a place to escape. She saw at the end of the hall there was a dimly lit room that no kids had gone into, and quickly scuttled down the hall to that room.  
  
Walking in she saw that the room was set up to be a library, thus it's lack of appeal to the partygoers. It was a large room with a cathedral ceiling - almost unheard of for a second floor in a house. From floor to ceiling were bookshelves stuffed with all kind of books, both old and new. The only furniture in the room were a pair of St. Anne chairs in the middle of the room with a single table in between them with a lamp, which was turned on. Delighted, Kat moved to one shelf and ran her fingers lightly over some older volumes before selecting one and taking it out. It was an old leather bound copy of "Taming of the Shrew", by William Shakespeare.  
  
Sitting in one of the chairs and placing her soda can on the table, Kat flipped through the volume, reading bits from various scenes of the play. She was so immersed in the book that she didn't see or hear someone enter the room and watch her for a few moments before emitting a slight cough to get her attention.  
  
Kat glanced up quickly, slamming the book shut and rising to her feet in haste. Standing in the doorway watching her was none other than Patrick Verona.   



	6. In The Beginning - Part 6

"What do YOU want?" Kat asked rudely, moving back to the bookcase to return the Shakespeare volume safely to its place. She moved away when she realized how close Patrick was.  
  
Patrick leaned over to see the title of the book Kat had been reading. "'Taming of the Shrew?'" he stated. "How ironic."  
  
Kat moved over to the chair where she had been sitting and crossed her arms as she faced him. "What's that supposed to mean? And what are you doing here, anyway?"  
  
Patrick tapped a finger thoughtfully on Kat's book and after a moment recited, "'Say that she rail; why then I'll tell her plain she sings as sweetly as a nightingale.'"  
  
Kat stared at him, completely nonplussed. She tried to think of something to say but nothing came to mind as she processed the fact that Patrick Verona knew Shakespeare from memory. Patrick moved away from the bookcase and came to where Kat stood near the chairs. "'Say she be mute and will not speak a word; Then I'll commend her volubility.'"   
  
Kat felt his nearness and took in a slow staggered breath as she uncrossed her arms to lean against the table behind her. How was it possible that a boy she didn't even like could affect her so much just by standing near her? "Um," she started. "Can you step away? There's something called 'personal space' and you're invading mine." Despite her words, she made no move to leave his side.  
  
Patrick chuckled but continued reciting lines from the play without moving away. "'Come, come, you wasp; i' faith, you are too angry."   
  
Recognizing that passage, Kat tartly responded, "'If I be waspish, best beware my sting.'"  
  
"'My remedy is then, to pluck it out.'" Patrick warned softly, bending slightly so that his face hovered near hers.  
  
Kat stood entranced as she gazed into his glittering eyes. Raggedly she replied, "'Ay, if the fool could find it where it lies.'" From head to toe, he was mere inches from her, but all Kat could focus on was his eyes, which were looking intently into her own. She could tell he was having fun reciting the lines, but underneath she could also sense the seriousness of their conversation - the gauntlet that was being thrown by each.  
  
Patrick raised an eyebrow at her quote, then broke from the role and murmured, "Kat, I'm no fool, and I sure as hell will find your stinger whether you want me to or not."  
  
With that, Patrick closed the gap between them and laid his mouth on hers, his warm lips moving across hers and all but forcing Kat to respond. Her mouth parted slightly as their kiss deepened, and she felt his tongue dart into her mouth and flick against hers.  
  
Kat barely registered when Patrick raised his head for a moment and muttered, "'Why, there's a wench! Come on, and kiss me, Kate,'" before bringing his mouth to hers again. Then before she could raise her arms - to push him away? to pull him closer? - Patrick suddenly stepped away from her. Kat opened her eyes slowly and met his gaze. She could see that Patrick had been as caught up in the kiss as she. Before she could say anything, Patrick took a few steps toward the doorway, turning only to say, "I'll see you later, Kat."  
  
And then Kat was alone in the library, her breathing shallow, her lips slightly swollen and red, her heart racing, and her mind in tatters. Patrick Verona had given Kat her first kiss. And it was a doozy.  
  



	7. In the Beginning - Part 7

"So how was the party?" Mandella asked Kat on Sunday morning when they got together for their weekend bike ride at Padua Park.   
  
"Fine," Kat responded tightly, not wanting to reveal too much of the night's events. After Patrick left the library the night before, Kat had rushed from Joey's house and walked home, numerous thoughts flooding through her brain. So confused by it all, she hadn't even looked for Joey to tell him she was leaving.   
  
And now, Mandella was asking questions. "What time did you get home? Pretty late?"   
  
"Uh, actually, I got home around nine o'clock."   
  
Mandella laughed. "Man, that party must have SUCKED. I'm so glad I hung out with Michael instead."   
  
Kat's lips tingled as she remembered Patrick's kiss. She pedaled her bike a bit faster to get away from the strangely pleasant memory. The two girls biked silently for a few minutes, before Mandella casually inquired about Patrick.   
  
"Did you see Verona there? Did he show up?"   
  
Now Kat's face became flushed. "Yes, he showed up all right."   
  
"What does that mean?" Mandella asked, deliberately slowing down and pulling off from the bike trail to grill Kat.   
  
Kat slowed down as well and got off the bike so that the two girls could take a quick break for water. Taking her bottle from it's case, she took a swig as she tried to formulate a response. She wanted to hedge, not tell Mandella about the kiss. After all, it was Mandella who accused Kat of liking Patrick. Should she tell Mandella about the events in the library?   
  
"Well," Kat began cautiously. "It turns out that Patrick is smarter than I thought."   
  
"How so? How on earth could you gather that at a PARTY?"   
  
"Well, we kind of got into an argument and he quoted a great deal of Shakespeare."   
  
Mandella sat up straight, her eyes round in surprise. "Patrick Verona knows SHAKESPEARE?"   
  
Kat coughed uncomfortably, then replied, "Uh, yes, quite well."   
  
Mandella, sensing there was more to the story, prodded for more information, asking, "What play did he quote?"   
  
"'Taming of the Shrew'", Kat replied haughtily, her nose lifting slightly in defense.   
  
Mandella cackled in delight. "How appropo! I love this guy! I'm so glad I made him go to the party. So, you have to tell me details."   
  
"Mandella, I really don't want to talk about it, okay?" Kat stood up and got back onto her bike. "Can we just ride and not talk?"   
  
See how distraught Kat was, Mandella nodded and climbed back onto her bike, letting Kat lead them back onto the bike trail. Kat may not be talking, be there was another way to get the full story.   
  
* * *   
  
"Talk to me, Verona. What happened?"   
  
"Scurvy, I swear to God, if you don't stop asking me about that stupid party, I'm gonna shave that mohawk right off your head and paint your scalp green." Patrick scowled at his friend as they huddled near their lockers on Monday morning.   
  
"Please, stop giving me new ideas," Scurvy laughed, not bothered by Patrick's threat. "I talked to that chick Mandella."   
  
Patrick's head snapped up to attention and his eyes narrowed. "Oh yeah? What did she say?"   
  
"She said that Kat isn't talking. And since YOU aren't talking either, that leads me to believe that something DEFINITELY happened at that party. The question is WHAT."   
  
"It was a boring party, man. Kids getting drunk and throwing up in Donner's pool." Patrick paused. "Okay, so maybe that was a personal highlight for me."   
  
Ever perceptive about his friend, Scurvy took a chance and guessed. "You kissed her, didn't ya?"   
  
Patrick didn't respond at first, but a flush rose up quickly in his cheeks. Scurvy crowed in excitement. "Man! You kissed that girl? She hates you man, what were you THINKING?"   
  
Patrick shook his head dejectedly. "I wasn't thinking. It just happened."   
  
"Dude, you kissed a girl that hates you! You must be desperate!"   
  
"Shut up, Scurvy."   
  
* * *   
  
Mandella caught up with Scurvy in the hallway on her way to class. "Did you find out anything?"   
  
Scurvy's mouth curled into a grin. "Yep. He kissed her."   
  
"WHAT?" Mandella bellowed in disbelief as Scurvy laughed and continued down the hallway.   
  
"You heard what I said!" he called back before he turned the corner.   
  
* * *   
  
"How could you not tell me?" Mandella demanded at the lunch table. "He KISSED you and you don't tell me?"   
  
"I was...embarrassed." Kat admitted.   
  
"Why were you embarrassed - I'm your best friend. We are supposed to tell each other everything, no matter what."   
  
"I was embarrassed because I went on and on about how I don't like him, and then you said I DID like him, and then he kissed me at Joey's party, and now, I don't know."   
  
"Don't know what?"   
  
"Whether I don't like him or not."   
  
"Wow, he must be some kisser," Mandella replied dreamily.   
  
Kat sighed. "I've nothing to compare it to, but...wow." She giggled in relief now that the secret was out. Then it hit her. "Wait a minute it - how did you know?"   
  
"Um...a birdie told me?" Mandella asked hopefully.   
  
"A birdie with an accent?" Kat demanded to know.   
  
"No, more like a birdie with a mohawk," Mandella admitted.   
  
"HE TOLD SCURVY?" Kat shrieked, causing a few heads to turn. Kat ducked low and hissed, "He told Scurvy?"   
  
Mandella nodded, slurping her milk through the straw. "So now that it's out in the open, tell me about the kiss."   
  
"It was....nice. Intense." Kat struggled to find words. "It was the Shakespeare. He quoted Shakespeare and it kind of, I don't know, turned me on."   
  
Mandella laughed. "Now you know how *I* feel!"   
  
* * *   
  
Kat skulked into her final class of the day and saw Patrick already sitting at his desk. She had managed to avoid him all day, deliberately seeking out hallways she never used in order to avoid a chance meeting. Even as she sat down at her own desk, she could feel his eyes burning into her, willing her to look at him.   
  
The bell still hadn't rung, so students were still milling around the classroom, socializing until the last possible moment before class began. Kat kept herself busy arranging her things under the chair and finding just the right pencil to take notes.   
  
At her side, Patrick finally said, "Good afternoon, Kat."   
  
"Hey there," Kat answered reluctantly.   
  
"Did you enjoy the rest of your weekend?" he asked pleasantly.   
  
"Yes, uh, thank you, I did."   
  
"Did you enjoy the rest of Donner's party?"   
  
Kat looked at him directly, trying to decide if he was making fun of her. Instead she saw only honest curiosity. "Not really, I left soon after you...saw me in the library." She felt her face flame up at the mention of the library.   
  
Patrick, seeing her blush, took that as a positive sign. He had spent the day long nad hard thinking about that kiss, and how much he enjoyed it. He decided to take a chance. "I left soon after that too. I had had enough excitement for one night. So listen, I was wondering --"   
  
Just then, Kat looked over Patrick's shoulder and saw Joey Donner standing in the doorway. He hadn't been in their shared classes earlier in the day, and she was surprised to see him. Not listening to Patrick anymore, Kat got up and walked over to the doorway.   
  
"Hey Joey, what are you doing here?"   
  
"I just wanted to say I'm sorry we didn't hang out more at my party. I got caught up with the guys and next thing I knew I couldn't find you."   
  
"Oh, that's okay, Joey."   
  
"I came by to see if you wanted to get a burger after school, maybe take in a movie sometime this week with some of the gang?"   
  
Kat smiled. Obviously the story about her kissing Patrick hadn't reached Joey's ears. That was a good thing - she would hate to ruin her chances with Joey. As great as the kiss with Patrick had been, it was Joey she was interested in. Truly. Right?   
  
"I'd love that, Joey." Strangely, Kat felt that to be a lie.   
  
"Great, meet me at my locker after class."   
  
Just then the bell rang signaling the start of class, and Kat went back to her desk as the teacher began roll call. Suddenly remembering that Patrick had been about to say something, she turned to him and said, "I'm sorry Patrick, you were saying something?"   
  
Patrick's face was stone as he bit out, "No, I wasn't saying anything. Nothing at all." He watched Kat begin taking notes for the upcoming test, his anger slowly settling down to a slow burn. Damn that Joey Donner. Didn't Kat know what a waste of space he was? Apparently not, judging by the conversation he'd just heard. 'I'd love that, Joey,' Patrick replayed in his mind. LOVE THAT?   
  
Patrick grabbed up his pencil and started doodling in his notebook. He had intended to ask Kat out himself, but now he was glad he hadn't been able to ask. It was obvious she wasn't interested in anyone but Joey. But what about that kiss? He had kissed a lot of girls but never felt that kind of...connection. Patrick sighed heavily. I need to talk to Mandella, he thought. She'll know what I should do.


End file.
